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enLenovo Miix 520 vs Surface Pro 2017 (Artist Review)https://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-miix-520-vs-surface-pro-2017-artist-review
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-miix-520-vs-surface-pro-2017-artist-review"><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-11.jpg" /></a></p>
<!--break--><p>This comparison review is written for visual content creators, graphic designers and digital artists. This is the accompanying text review for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjvxuOz_ac">video review I've posted on Youtube</a>. </p>
<p>By the way, I've already written detailed reviews for the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-miix-520-active-pen-2"><b>Lenovo Miix 520</b></a> and <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-microsoft-surface-pro-2017-new-surface-pen"><b>Microsoft Surface Pro 2017</b></a>. Check those out if you want in depth reviews.</p>
<p>The specifications of the tablets I'm comparing are as follows: Lenovo Miix with quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U (1.6 - 3.4Ghz) and 8GB memory and Surface Pro with dual-core i5 7300U (2.6 - 3.5Ghz) and 8GB memory</p>
<p>Let's get right into it.</p>
<h3>Design and build quality</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-10.jpg" /><br />
Both are equally sturdy with solid build quality. Both are thin and lightweight, even with the magnetic keyboard cover. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-02.jpg" /><br />
Both have build-in kickstands that go low. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-01.jpg" /><br />
In terms of physical dimensions, even though the Surface Pro has a 12.3-inch screen over Miix 520's 12.2-inch screen, the Surface Pro is actually slightly smaller on the sides.</p>
<p>When it comes to design, the Surface Pro 2017 has a cleaner and simpler design that I like.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-03.jpg" /><br />
Ports. Miix 520 has a USB Type C gen 1 and USB 3 Type A. Surface Pro has a miniDisplayPort and USB 3 Type A. I find the miniDisplayPort useful because I have a cable that connects to the monitor. With the Miix 520, I would need to buy an adaptor to connect to an external monitor. The USB Type C is can be more useful because you can get a USB-C multi-port adapter to get more ports. You can't do that with the miniDisplayPort. </p>
<h3>Included accessories</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-13.jpg" /><br />
This is where Surface Pro lacks behind badly. </p>
<p>The Lenovo Miix 520 comes with the keyboard type cover, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=artprdus-20">Active Pen 2 (US $50)</a> and a carrying sleeve. Surface Pro comes without any accessories. The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Charcoal-Black-Model/dp/B074GYX6VR?tag=artprdus-20">Surface Pen cost an extra US $99</a> and the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Type-Cover-Surface-Pro/dp/B0163H1HT6?tag=artprdus-20">Surface Type Cover</a> is another US $100.</p>
<p>At the time of this review, the Miix 520 I have is priced at <a href="https://amzn.to/2O9jTlI">US $900 on Amazon</a> while <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Laptop-Intel-256GB/dp/B0716J3CYJ?tag=artprdus-20">Surface Pro is priced at US$1089</a>. That's a significant US $150 difference and the Surface Pro doesn't even come with any accessories. When you consider the accessories, the Surface Pro is $300 more expensive, and you're getting a dual-core processor. Wow. I didn't think the Surface Pro was that overpriced when it came out but now it is with competition.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-12.jpg" /><br />
I've used a Spyder5Pro colour calibrator to calibrate both screens and managed to get a readout of 89% sRGB support on Miix 520 and 99% sRGB support on Surface Pro. Colour gamut for both are good enough for graphic design. In real life, I can't tell the difference between the two.</p>
<p>After calibration, for some reason, I wasn't able to load the colour profile on the Surface Pro so it wasn't able to show the calibrated screen. I wasn't able to figure out what's wrong.</p>
<p><img src="" /><br />
Lenovo Active Pen 2 vs Microsoft Surface Pen. Both are very solid and well build. Lenovo is using Wacom pen technology and supports up the 4,096+ levels of pressure sensitivity. Not sure what technology Microsoft is using but it has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity support as well as tilt support when used with certain applications.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-07.jpg" /><br />
Both tips are textured and provide friction when drawing or writing on the glass screen. This provides extra control.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-05.jpg" /><br />
On the Miix 520, I feel that there's even more friction when drawing on the screen. I think it has got to do with the screen coating but I can't be sure. When I use the Surface Pen on Miix screen, I can feel the extra friction as well, so it's not because of the pen. By the way, the pens are not interchangeable.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-08.jpg" /><br />
Lenovo pen has 2 side buttons while Surface Pen only has one. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-09.jpg" /><br />
Both pens have back buttons. The Surface Pen back button doubles as an eraser. Both back buttons can be configured to do certain tasks using the driver. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-wacom-settings_0.jpg" /><br />
Lenovo pen and Wacom driver allow for way more customisation compared to the Surface Pen. There are more options to choose from for the buttons. In addition to the usual mouse buttons, you can choose to launch any apps you want, assign keyboard shortcuts.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pen-button-settings2.jpg" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pen-button-settings.jpg" /><br />
Customising the Surface Pen is done through Surface app. Each button only has 5 options to choose from. You can only choose to launch the system apps that has already been pre-defined. There's no way to customise specific keyboard shortcuts. </p>
<h3>Drawing performance</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/surface-pro-2017-vs-miix-520-04.jpg" /><br />
Drawing performance of both tablets is quite similar. There are no jitter issues when drawing diagonal lines slowly. Pressure sensitivity and palm rejection work well.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-krita.jpg" /><br />
In terms of accuracy, the Lenovo Active Pen 2 is more accurate. When using graphic apps, I was able to get the lines to taper gradually and smoothly.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/photoshop-cs6-strokes.jpg" /><br />
Strokes on the Surface Pro taper more abruptly. </p>
<p>There's also an issue when misalignment on the Surface Pro when you're holding the device with two hands. When drawing with one hand and the other hand is not touching the device, the pen is very accurate and cursor is always directly beneath the tip. However, when two hands are touching the Surface Pro, the cursor will slightly misalign to the right but half a mm or a hairline. You can even see the cursor move itself to the right side. This may be a deal breaker for certain artists. This is a known problem to Microsoft but they were unable to fix it.</p>
<h3>Processor</h3>
<p>The quad core processor on the Miix 520 is two times faster than the Surface Pro's dual core even if the clock speed of the latter is higher</p>
<p>When I exported 100 RAW photos on both tablets, the Surface Pro took more than 9 minutes while the Miix 520 took more than 4 minutes. That's significant time savings. If you edit and export videos, the time savings are going to be huge. </p>
<p>The compromise on the Miix 520 is you have to make do with fan noise. Fans on the Miix 520 turn on almost instantly the moment you start Windows, sometimes even when you're not doing anything, or maybe just browsing some webpages. Fan noise is not loud but definitely audible. The Surface Pro that runs the Intel i5 processor does not have build in fans. The Surface Pro i7 models come with fans. </p>
<h3>Battery life</h3>
<p>Battery life for Miix 520 is around 5 to 6 hours for normal usage. If you use processor intensive task, Be prepared to see battery life go under 5 hours.</p>
<p>Surface Pro has 7-8 hours battery life. But again, battery life depends on the work you do.</p>
<p>If I'm going to be doing a lot of work, I'll be sure to plug into the power outlet. </p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Overall, it's clear that the Miix 520 provides more value for the money. First of all, it's cheaper. Secondly, it includes the pen and keyboard. Third, the processor is just more powerful. Fourth, drawing performance is also slightly better on the Miix 520. </p>
<p>Each tablet has its pros and cons, but in this comparison, the Lenovo Miix 520 edges out in too many areas. </p>
<h3>Availability</h3>
<p>Check out more reviews of Lenovo Miix 520 at<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/2vnjG6z">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KkhkLc">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2M7NVpm">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LHzQ60">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2ArrYjR">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Ke5D90">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OAorT0">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2v61sr3">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
<p>And more reviews of the Microsoft Surface Pro at<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/2LQiNyG">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOiKn5">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OE3pmB">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LRzsSr">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LUzybd">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2vhEey6">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OEH74d">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KlSk6h">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
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<a href="/tags/lenovo">lenovo</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/lenovo-miix">lenovo miix</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/microsoft">microsoft</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/microsoft-surface">microsoft surface</a> </li>
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<a href="/category/tags/art-product-reviews">art product reviews</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/tech-reviews">tech reviews</a> </li>
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</section>
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 02:43:33 +0000Teoh Yi Chie13559 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-miix-520-vs-surface-pro-2017-artist-review#commentsLenovo Active Pen 2 vs 1 (Artist Review)https://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-active-pen-2-vs-1-artist-review
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-active-pen-2-vs-1-artist-review"><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-01_0.jpg" /></a></p>
<!--break--><p><i>Big thanks to Lenovo Singapore for providing the Active Pen 2 for this review.</i></p>
<p>In this review, I'll be comparing the Active Pen 2 (AP2) vs the 1st generation Active Pen from the perspective of an artist.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-05_0.jpg" /><br />
There are some slight design changes. The new pen is slightly longer, the pen clip is gone, and there's a new back button.</p>
<p>Build quality is excellent because it's almost full metal throughout. It's also nice to hold with the matte surface texture.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-02_0.jpg" /><br />
The pen is still powered by one AAAA battery and battery life is rated to last for months. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-03_0.jpg" /><br />
The new tip has a more textured surface on it that creates more friction when writing or drawing on the glass screen. This is now much easier to control compared to the slippery hard tip from the first pen.</p>
<p>The new tip also protrudes more slightly. This means the part that holds the tip no longer blocks the view of the tip, which means you can actually see the lines appear beneath the tip more easily as you use the pen. </p>
<p>These two improvements makes it a much more satisfying experience when using the pen. </p>
<p>The new pen now supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, up from the 2,048 levels in the previous pen. In actual use, I don't really notice much difference in the pressure sensitivity. Both are very sensitive pens. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-1.jpg" /><br />
If you look closely at the slow diagonal strokes from AP1 in the picture above, you can see some slight jitter. Other than that, the strokes usually come out the way I expect.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2.jpg" /><br />
The new pen is also more accurate. There's no jitter issue when drawing diagonal lines slowly. Compare the slow diagonal strokes and you can see that the jitter is no longer there. What this means is, if you draw slowly, e.g. when drawing portraits, or detailed illustrations, the jitter will no longer be a problem and affect your work.</p>
<p>Palm rejection works relatively well. The only thing to note is you have to have the pen close to the screen for palm rejection to work flawlessly. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-wacom-settings.jpg" /><br />
One reason why the pen performs so well is probably because it uses Wacom technology. Wacom driver and settings are already installed. With this, you can adjust pressure sensitivity and configure the functionality of the buttons. </p>
<p>The pen is always on so you don't have to pair it with the tablet to use it. However, if you want to configure the back button, you will need to pair with via Bluetooth. This allows you to set functionality to single and double click actions to the back button. </p>
<p><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31Xx8JtS-6L.jpg" /><br />
If you're buying the Lenovo Active Pen 2 separately, it will come with a USB pen holder for storage and three replacement pen tips. Retail price is US $50, significantly cheaper compared to the Microsoft Surface Pen. </p>
<p>This pen is actually bundled with the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-miix-520-active-pen-2">Lenovo Miix 520</a> that I've reviewed recently. </p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The 1st generation Lenovo Active Pen already works quite well and the new pen improves on that to provide an even more satisfying experience. It's definitely worth the money.</p>
<p>Easily 5 out of 5 stars.</p>
<p>But before you buy, make sure your device can support the pen. At the time of this review, these are the compatible devices:</p>
<ul><li>ThinkPad X1 Tablet Gen2 (20JB, 20JC)</li>
<li>Lenovo MIIX 720</li>
<li>Lenovo MIIX 510</li>
<li>Lenovo MIIX 520</li>
<li>Lenovo Yoga 720</li>
<li>Lenovo Yoga 920</li>
</ul><h3>Availability</h3>
<p>Check out more reviews on<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo-20">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo0c-20">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo-21">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo01-21">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo08-21">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo03-21">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parblo02-21">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0762M2QF7?tag=parkablogs-22">Amazon.co.jp</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?asin=B0762M2QF7&amp;source=parblo-23">Amazon.cn</a></p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
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<a href="/tags/lenovo">lenovo</a> </li>
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<a href="/category/tags/art-product-reviews">art product reviews</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/tech-reviews">tech reviews</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/category/tags/stylus">stylus</a> </li>
</ul>
</section>
Wed, 01 Aug 2018 03:59:07 +0000Teoh Yi Chie13558 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/lenovo-active-pen-2-vs-1-artist-review#commentsArtist Review: Lenovo Miix 520 with Active Pen 2https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-miix-520-active-pen-2
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-miix-520-active-pen-2"><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-title-04.jpg" /></a></p>
<!--break--><p>Big thanks to <a href="https://www.lenovo.com">Lenovo</a> Singapore for providing the Miix 520 for this review. I've been wanting to check out the new model and compare it with the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-lenovo-miix-510-with-active-pen">Miix 510</a> which I've reviewed before. </p>
<p>The biggest changes over the Miix 510 are the change of processors from dual cores to <b>quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U (1.6 - 3.4Ghz)</b>, and inclusion of Lenovo Active Pen 2 which uses Wacom technology and supports up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-01.jpg" /><br />
As usual, my review is from the perspective of a visual content creator. The work I do for my blog and Youtube involves writing, graphic design, photo and video editing.</p>
<p>Here's the specification of the review unit:</p>
<ul><li>Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U (1.6 - 3.4Ghz)</li>
<li>OS: Windows 10</li>
<li>Screen: 12.2-inch </li>
<li>Resolution: 1920 x 1200</li>
<li>Storage: Up to 1TB SSD</li>
<li>RAM: 8GB</li>
<li>Graphics: Intel HD Integrated Graphics 520/620</li>
<li>Ports: USB Type C, USB 3 Type A, audio Jack, microSD</li>
<li>Dimension: 30 x 20.5 x 0.99 cm (or 1.59 cm thick with keyboard)</li>
<li>Weight: 900 g or 1.25kg with keyboard</li>
<li>Active Stylus: Lenovo Active Pen 2</li>
<li>Battery: 38 Wh Lithium-Polymer</li>
</ul><h3>Design and build quality</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-10.jpg" /><br />
The design looks alright, actually it's similar to the Miix 510. Body is solid and slim. Air vents for the fans run across the top. Be prepare for slight fan noise because the fans are on almost all the time even when not doing anything that stresses the processor. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-03.jpg" /><br />
The glossy <b>12.2-inch</b> screen has <b>1920 x 1200 resolution</b>. I've no complaints about the pixel density even though it may not be as high compare to <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-microsoft-surface-pro-2017-new-surface-pen">Microsoft Surface Pro 2017</a>. There's slight pixelation in the user interface but it's no big deal to me. I can still get lots of work done on it. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-srgb.jpg" /><br />
With the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UBSL31Q?tag=artprdus-20">Spyder5Pro colour calibrator</a>, I measured 89% sRGB support. Colours look good enough for graphic design work. If you need extreme colour accuracy, you'll need to connect to an external monitor. And to do that, you'll need a USB-C to a graphics port adapter. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-02.jpg" /><br />
Keyboard is included and detachable. Typing experience is alright. Keys have good travel. Since the keyboard is thin, the whole thing shakes slightly while typing. Keyboard size is excellent but the compromise is a rather small trackpad. It's a back-lit keyboard with only one brightness setting.</p>
<p>As someone who uses a lot of keyboard shortcuts, the inclusion of the Ctrl button on the right side is crucial to my workflow and productivity. When I'm using a mouse, pen or right finger, keyboard shortcuts on the right side are still accessible at all times. This is incredibly convenient. Note that Microsoft Surface Pro's keyboard does not have the right Ctrl button. </p>
<p>Closing the keyboard makes the tablet go to sleep. However, opening the keyboard doesn't wake it up. You'll have to press the power button or press the keys. Not sure why they programmed it that way. It should wake up just like typical laptops when their lids are opened. </p>
<p>This is a rather good keyboard overall and the best thing is it's included so you don't have to pay additional money for it.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-05.jpg" /><br />
That's the multi-positional stand behind.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-09.jpg" /><br />
The hinge may be tight but when you're drawing on it with the stand deployed, it will still go down to the lowest position. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-07.jpg" /><br />
It's easy to deploy the stand because the area near the bottom is recessed. Those three holes there are for the speaker. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-06.jpg" /><br />
The three ports on the left are USB type C gen 1, USB 3.0 and power. It would have been great if Lenovo could just do away with the power port and have another USB type C that's capable of charging. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-11.jpg" /><br />
Lenovo has provided a plastic pen holder that can be inserted into the USB 3 port. Unfortunately when it's inserted, it blocks off the charging and USB type C port. So you might want to store the pen on the carrying sleeve instead. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-08.jpg" /><br />
On the right side are the power and volume buttons. </p>
<h3>Lenovo Active Pen 2</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-01.jpg" /><br />
Lenovo Active Pen 2 uses Wacom technology and supports <b>pressure sensitivity</b> up to 4,096 levels.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-05.jpg" /><br />
Pen 2 is slightly longer than the 1st gen pen. Be careful of it rolling around on the table because it does not have a clip. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-02.jpg" /><br />
Battery life from the AAAA battery should last for months. The Pen 2 is always on and ready to use. No pairing required, although if you want to pair it via Bluetooth, it gives you extra options for customising the back button. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-04.jpg" /><br />
There are two side buttons and a back button. You can customise the buttons for different shortcuts, e.g. launch apps, mouse clicks or assign specific keyboard shortcuts. </p>
<p>Customising the button shortcuts is done through the Wacom pen settings app included. With that app, you can also adjust the pressure sensitivity. If you want to, you can also calibrate the pen to the screen to remove parallax. Calibration is not really necessary parallax is minimal due to the small size of the screen and the glass surface is real close to the screen.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/active-pen-2-03.jpg" /><br />
The pen tip has more friction compared to the 1st gen pen. The extra friction provides more control so it's more pleasant to draw with.</p>
<h3>Performance</h3>
<p>The quad-core processor is huge step up in performance compared to the dual-core processors in the Miix 510. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-520-04.jpg" /><br />
Here are the timings for exporting 100 RAW files with different systems that I've tested, from fastest to slowest:</p>
<ul><li>Mac Pro 2013 Xeon quad 3.7Ghz - 3 min 17s</li>
<li>Macbook Pro 2015 quad 2.5Ghz - 3 min 19s</li>
<li>Surface Book 2 quad core i7-8650U (1.9 to 4.2 GHz) - 3 min 49s</li>
<li><b>Lenovo Miix 520 quad core i5-8250U (1.6 to 3.4Ghz) - 4 min 19s</b></li>
<li>Surface Laptop dual core i5-7200U (2.5-3.1Ghz) - 8 min 26s</li>
<li>Surface Book 2 dual core i5-7300U (2.6 to 3.5 GHz) - 8min 57s</li>
<li>Surface Pro 2017 dual core i5-7300U (2.6 to 3.5 GHz) - 9 min 33s</li>
</ul><p>Photo export times are almost two times that of dual-core processors so it goes without saying that this is faster than the Surface Pro 2017 for processor intensive tasks. That's significant time savings. The performance is not far from the much more expensive Surface Book 2 with the i7-8650U (1.9 to 4.2 GHz). So this is really respectable performance.</p>
<p>You can edit video but be prepared for the fans to go full speed and it's going to be too hot for drawing with your palm on the screen. 1080P video editing is an alright experience. Editing and exporting 4K video requires lots of patience. </p>
<h3>Drawing experience</h3>
<p>Drawing experience is more than satisfactory with the graphic apps I've tested. </p>
<p>Pressure sensitivity and palm rejection work well without any driver installation. Strokes come out just the way I want them to be. After you have adjusted the pressure settings, you can apply really light pressure to get thin lines. The initiation activation force is minimal. As long as the tip touches the surface, no matter how light the pressure, it can draw. It's that sensitive. </p>
<p><b>Lenovo Active Pen 2 is very accurate</b>. There's none of the slow diagonal line jitter. </p>
<p>Below are examples of strokes in various apps</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-affinity-photo.jpg" /><br /><i>Affinity Photo 1.6.4</i></p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-krita.jpg" /><br /><i>Krita 4.1</i></p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-medibang.jpg" /><br /><i>Medibang Paint Pro 16</i></p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-sketchable.jpg" /><br /><i>Sketchable</i></p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-520-squid.jpg" /><br /><i>Squid</i><br />
It's also great at taking notes. It's able to capture my handwriting very accurately. </p>
<p>All the problems I have with Miix 510 and its pen have been resolved. This is now a much better product for drawing and creating digital art.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Lenovo Miix 520 is a nice improvement over the Miix 510. Performance is significantly better because of the jump from dual to quad core processors. Power users who require processing power should find significant time savings. </p>
<p>Another nice improvement is the Lenovo Active Pen 2. The pen is now more sensitive, and with the new tip that provides more friction, it's also more satisfying to draw with on the glass surface. </p>
<p>One area I think Lenovo should improve next is the battery life. My other quibble is the fans are almost always on. Fans are not loud but they are definitely still audible. </p>
<p><b>Compared to the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-microsoft-surface-pro-2017-new-surface-pen">Microsoft Surface Pro</a></b><br />
At the time of this review, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ideapad-I5-8250U-Display-Windows-81CG019JUS/dp/B077B7JDFC?tag=artprdus-20">Miix 520 (8GB RAM 256GB storage)</a> is currently priced around US $900 while the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Intel-Core-256GB/dp/B071SF41Y9?tag=artprdus-20">Surface Pro 2017</a> of rather similar specs is around US $1050. </p>
<p>For the price you're paying, you get much better performance because of the quad-core processors, and not only that, you also get the stylus and keyboard included. Overall, the Miix 520 is clearly the better deal.</p>
<p>I can't say whether the Surface Pen or Lenovo Active Pen 2 provide better drawing experience. The drawing experience is different, one is not necessarily better than the other. </p>
<p>The advantages Surface Pro 2 has over the Miix would be longer battery life and design. The Surface Pro looks sleeker to me, but it's not hundreds of dollars more sleeker though. </p>
<p>So to conclude, if you're looking for a 2-in-1, the Lenovo Miix 520 is a solid and good performer you can consider if you have the budget for it. </p>
<div style="float:right; margin: 0 1em 1em 0;">
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<p><b>Pros</b><br />
+ Sturdy build quality<br />
+ Has USB 3 Type C and Type A ports<br />
+ microSD slot included<br />
+ Nice weight for its size but too heavy for handheld drawing<br />
+ Built in stand that you can adjust to any position<br />
+ Pressure sensitivity of the stylus is on par or better than Surface Pen.<br />
+ Stylus feels good to draw on the screen<br />
+ 1920 by 1200 resolution means user interface of all apps are at comfortable sizes<br />
+ Screen has good viewing angles and colours<br />
+ Good stereo speakers<br />
+ Able to install desktop and tablet apps<br />
+ Snappy performance generally<br />
+ Stylus and keyboard cover are included<br />
+ Stylus is accurate, pressure sensitivity works well<br />
+ Keyboard is relatively good to type on<br />
+ Keyboard has backlight</p>
<p><b>Cons</b><br />
- Fans are almost always on and audible<br />
- Battery life could be better<br />
- No display port included<br />
- Goes to sleep when keyboard covers the screen, but doesn't wake automatically when screen is uncovered<br />
- USB Type C port cannot be used for charging<br />
- 900g tablet weight is heavier than Surface Pro</p>
<h3>Availability</h3>
<p>Check out more reviews at<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/2vnjG6z">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KkhkLc">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2M7NVpm">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2LHzQ60">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2ArrYjR">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Ke5D90">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2OAorT0">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2v61sr3">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/lenovo-miix">lenovo miix</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/tags/lenovo">lenovo</a> </li>
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/art-electronics">art electronics</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/category/tags/art-product-reviews">art product reviews</a> </li>
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/drawing-tablet-reviews">drawing tablet reviews</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/tags/surface-pro-alternatives">surface pro alternatives</a> </li>
</ul>
</section>
Wed, 01 Aug 2018 02:52:05 +0000Teoh Yi Chie13540 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-miix-520-active-pen-2#commentsArtist Review: Lenovo Yoga Book (Windows version)https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-windows-version
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-windows-version"><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-windows-01.jpg" /></a></p>
<!--break--><p>I managed to borrow the Windows version of the Lenovo Yoga Book from a friend for this review. If you don't know, <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing">I've already reviewed the Android version of the Yoga Book</a> a few weeks ago. I was just interested to find out how the Windows version perform compared to the Android version from the artist's perspective.</p>
<p>Since I've already reviewed the Android version, I'll just talk about some of the key issues and differences I noticed rather than rehash what I've already said. </p>
<p>I've also made a video review if you're interested. It covers the same content as the text below.</p>
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gBiFs0nx9HI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><h3>Halo keyboard</h3>
<p>After using the device for a few weeks, I haven't gotten used to typing on the keyboard and I probably never well. The concept is cool but when it's not actually productive to type on this. Because there are no individual raised keys, I have to look at the keyboard when typing. If I have to look at the keyboard, I would rather look and type on the on screen keyboard.</p>
<h3>Battery issues</h3>
<p>Charging the battery can sometimes be quite fast while on several occasions really slow. I'm not sure if it's a case of me not connecting the cables correctly or not but there was once I charged it over night and the next day it charged to 90% instead of 100%. Battery life is quite good though, at 7-9 hours, depending on what you do of course. But generally speaking, I would say the battery charging is quite slow.</p>
<p>Ideally, you will want to use the charge provided by Lenovo. Other charges charges the device really slowly.</p>
<h3>Transferring files</h3>
<p>Since there are no standard sized USB ports, you have to transfer files wirelessly. Transferring huge files to and from the Yoga Book is very tedious. It really comes down to how good your wifi connection is. It really made me realised the importance and usefulness of a standard sized USB port.</p>
<p>You can of course get an a micro USB to standard USB adapter. These things are very cheap on eBay. Lenovo should have included one because it's so convenient. </p>
<h3>Storage speed</h3>
<p>There's 64 GB storage on board with 4 GB of RAM. The storage speed is not very fast. Extracting a zip file is much slower compared to other computer systems. I did not measure the time, but trust me, it's slow. </p>
<p>Since the OS and apps are install on the storage, you can expect them to launch a bit slower too, especially large desktop apps that require more memory. How slow? It's about the same time as launching apps from 3.5-inch hard drives.</p>
<p>Tablet apps load much faster.</p>
<h3>You can draw on the screen</h3>
<p>The stylus can be used to draw on the screen. However be prepared for broken lines or weird looking strokes. </p>
<h3>Drawing and writing performance</h3>
<p>As mentioned in my review for the Android version, when it comes to capturing strokes, the Yoga book is very accurate.</p>
<p>Below are some stroke samples from various apps that I've tested.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/photoshop-strokes_0.jpg" /><br />
In order to get pressure sensitivity working, you need to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49498">install Wintab drivers</a>. Strokes above are drawing in Photoshop. It's fine when used to draw lines, but when you start adding more layers, styles, or draw in large dimensions, the lag will become more noticeable. There's only 4GB RAM on board and that has to be shared with Windows OS as well.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/illustrator-strokes.jpg" /><br />
There's some slight line skipping with Adobe Illustrator. See the cube that I drew on the left. Line skipping happens when drawing fast.</p>
<p>Using desktop graphics apps isn't very productive on the Yoga Book. When using Photoshop and Illustrator for example, I would often use keyboard shortcuts and since the keyboard area is used for drawing, I would need an external keyboard to access those shortcuts. Also, the user interface is designed for desktop use, so if you make a mistake, there's no undo button and you have to undo via File-&gt;Edit-&gt;Undo. Imagine Undo-ing a few times with the stylus. </p>
<p>Not being able to access shortcuts is quite detriment to productivity and is one good reason to not use desktop apps for drawing purposes. Desktop apps don't usually support finger gestures, unless if you're using Adobe CC.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/artrage_0.jpg" /><br />
Art Rage works well.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/sketchable_0.jpg" /><br />
Sketchable works well too. Generally speaking, tablet apps work very well on the Yoga Book. Perhaps because their system requirements aren't that high. Tablet apps are also optimized for small screen tablet use, with user interface catered for that too. So you can access shortcuts via the buttons on screen easily. Some tablet apps also support touch features such as rotate, pan and zoom. </p>
<p>Note that I was also able to draw a straight diagonal line perfectly with a ruler. Usually tablets have the jitter diagonal lines problem but not so with the Yoga Book.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/medi-strokes.jpg" /><br />
Medibang Paint Pro works fine for the most part but when you start drawing really fast, the lines will appear angular. Draw slow and there's no issues. That's weird.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/msichief-wintab-problem.jpg" /><br />
Mischief has issues with Wintab. The initial stroke has tendency to be straight. So if you're drawing curves, or a circle with your first stroke, it may come out straight before it starts curving. It's a deal breaker. The workaround is to <a href="https://goo.gl/HeChNO">turn off Wintab</a> when using Mischief and turn it on again when using other apps. Inconvenient. Or just skip using Mischief altogether. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/wacom-bamboo-paper-notes.jpg" /><br />
I also tried taking notes with Wacom Bamboo Paper. It was able to capture my handwriting very well. The experience of writing on the keyboard area is great. There's a nice tactile feeling that's better than writing on glass. And since you're not writing on the screen, there's no palm rejection issues to worry about. There's also no lag so the words appear instantly as I wrote. Great.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>You'll have a more pleasant experience with tablet graphic apps on the Windows version Yoga Book. If you use desktop apps, it's not going to productive, it also starts to lag rather quickly and it takes a while to load as the apps are often big.</p>
<p>One advantage of the Windows version is the fact that you can run desktop apps. So if you want to run things like Microsoft Office, you can do so. But since I'm reviewing from the artist perspective, I'm just pointing out that desktop graphic apps are going to be slow.</p>
<p>Personally, I find the Android version more enjoyable to use because all the apps are already designed for tablet use. But ultimately, it comes down to what apps you use and what you want to do on the Yoga Book. The Windows version is also more expensive so overall, I'll give the Android version the recommendation.</p>
<p>That's all. I hope this review is helpful. </p>
<p>If you really want to get the Windows version, at least watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBiFs0nx9HI">my video review</a> to see how the drawing experience is like. </p>
<h3>Availability</h3>
<p>You can find the Lenovo Yoga Book and more reviews on Amazon. Links below.<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo-20">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo0c-20">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo-21">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo01-21">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo08-21">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo03-21">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.es/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo02-21">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parkablogs-22">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
<p>Purchases though the links get me a commission at no extra cost to you, and helps me put out more reviews like this.</p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/art-electronics">art electronics</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/tags/lenovo">lenovo</a> </li>
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/lenovo-yoga">lenovo yoga</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/tags/drawing-tablet-reviews">drawing tablet reviews</a> </li>
<li class="field-item even">
<a href="/tags/tablet">tablet</a> </li>
<li class="field-item odd">
<a href="/tags/computer">computer</a> </li>
</ul>
</section>
Fri, 28 Apr 2017 23:31:06 +0000Teoh Yi Chie12939 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-windows-version#commentsArtist Review: Lenovo Miix 510 with Active Penhttps://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-lenovo-miix-510-with-active-pen
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I've got my friend <a href="https://www.mindflyer.com/">Mindflyer</a> and <a href="https://www.lenovo.com">Lenovo</a> Singapore to thank for arranging a review unit of the Lenovo Miix 510 for me to check out.</p>
<p>The Lenovo Miix 510 is a 2-in-1 computer, just like the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-surface-pro-4-drawing-tablet">Microsoft Surface Pro 4</a> and <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-acer-switch-alpha-12-2016">Acer Switch Alpha</a>, all of which have active styluses. </p>
<p>As usual, <b>my review will be from the perspective of an artist</b>. I'm not interested in running benchmarks because all those things aren't that important when it comes to drawing. My priority is to find out how well performs when it's being used as a digital sketchpad. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-01.jpg" /><br />
Let's take a look at the specifications first:</p>
<ul><li>Processor: Intel® Core i3-6100U (2.3 GHz), i5-6200U (2.3 - 2.8 GHz max), i7-6500U (2.5 - 3.1 GHz max)</li>
<li>OS: Windows 10</li>
<li>Screen: 12.2-inch </li>
<li>Resolution: 1920 x 1200</li>
<li>Storage: Up to 1TB SSD</li>
<li>RAM: Up to 8GB</li>
<li>Graphics: Intel HD Integrated Graphics 520</li>
<li>Ports: USB Type C, USB 3 Type A, audio Jack</li>
<li>Dimension: 30 x 20.5 x 0.99 cm (or 1.59 cm thick with keyboard)</li>
<li>Weight: 880 g or 1.25kg with keyboard</li>
<li>Active Stylus: Included</li>
<li>Battery: 39 WHr</li>
</ul><p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-02.jpg" /><br />
The Miix 510 comes with a keyboard cover, stylus and charger. </p>
<h3>Design and build quality</h3>
<p>Build quality is excellent and the unit feels solid. It weighs <b>880g</b> and goes up to <b>1.25kg</b> with the included keyboard.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-07.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-08.jpg" width="490" /><br />
The build-in kickstand uses the Lenovo's hinge system, and it's able to position itself to any angle.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-09.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-15.jpg" width="490" /><br />
The hinge is tight. But if you rest your hands on the screen to draw, the screen will be pushed down to the lowest angle. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-10.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-11.jpg" width="490" /><br />
That's the recessed area to open the kickstand. The unit is cooled by fans and there are vents at both sides and top. </p>
<p>Overall design looks fine and very functional. SP4's design is cleaner by comparison. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-06.jpg" /><br />
The keyboard cover uses faux leather which is easier to clean. It protects the Gorilla Glass screen but the brushed aluminum back is exposed. You'll probably want to get a case for the back because any scratches will make your heart ache like getting a scratch on a new car.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-17.jpg" /><br />
The keyboard cover attaches to the tablet using strong magnets, and you can use the magnets to tilt the keyboard at an incline. When drawing with the keyboard attached, the drawing hand would brush against the keys. I usually detach the keyboard as I don't like that feeling. I prefer using a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bluetooth-Illuminated-Keyboard-Smartphones/dp/B0099SMFVQ?tag=artprdus-20">Bluetooth keyboard</a> instead, placed by the side. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-18.jpg" /><br />
The keyboard is fine to type with but definitely not the best. I like the large arrow keys which I use often, but the small Shift key on the right could be bigger. The keyboard has <b>backlight</b> but it is not switched on by default (just press FN + Spacebar to switch on). </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-04.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-05.jpg" width="490" /><br />
The ports included are a <b>USB 3 Type C and A</b>. If you want to connect to an external monitor, you'll need an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DN09RYI?tag=artprdus-20">adapter</a>. I tried charging the Miix 510 with my phone's USB Type C cable and it wasn't able to. There' no mention whether the USB Type C can be used for charging, so it's advisable to use the big and heavy charging adapter provided. If USB Type C charging is possible, Lenovo probably won't have included the round charging port in the first place. It would have been so nice to have 2 USB Type C ports though, one capable of charging. </p>
<p>Miix 510 is heavier than SP4's 786g but lighter than ASA12's 910g. It does feel heavy compared to SP4 but it's still relatively light, but much heavier with the keyboard cover added. </p>
<h3>Screen</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-03.jpg" /><br />
The <b>12.2-inch</b> screen features a 1920 by 1200 resolution which is lower compared to SP4's 2736 x 1824 resolution and ASA12's 2160 by 1440. The resolution is perfectly usable. On a 12.2 inch screen, it's still not too pixelated. </p>
<p>The biggest advantage is for apps not optimised for high resolution screens, the user interface, buttons and menus will be rendered at very comfortable sizes. For example, running Adobe CS6 or older apps on the SP4 will give you tiny icons, icons so small that even with a small tip stylus it can still be challenging to click.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-24.jpg" /><br />
In my review for the ASA12, I actually praised the 2160 by 1440 resolution just because it's lower than SP4's. And now I applaud the Miix 510 for actually using the 1920 by 1200 resolution. My use case could be unusual because I'm still hanging on to using old Adobe CS6 (which is still serving me very well). High pixel density screen can give you sharp images and text but I still value usability and prefer having larger icons and menus even if they are slightly pixelated --- but seriously they aren't really that pixelated on the Miix 510.</p>
<p>Colour reproduction is fantastic. The screen is vibrant, and there's no colour shift when viewed at angles. </p>
<h3>Performance</h3>
<p>My unit comes with the core i7-6500U with a dual 2.5Ghz that goes up to 3.1Ghz. There's 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage on board. <b>Performance is snappy</b>. If the price difference between the i5 and i7 isn't too big, then it might be worth upgrading. But it's important to get at least 8GB of RAM. Having 256GB storage would be good because with the 128GB storage, the actual size would be around 108GB with Windows OS installed.</p>
<p>There's <b>no microSD card slot</b> so you might want to increase the storage at the time of purchase as you won't be able to do so later on.</p>
<p>Battery life is 4-6 hours. Yes, I'm giving you a wide range because it really depends on what you're doing. If you want to sketch non-stop for 4 hours, sure no problem. If you want it to last all day, have that charger nearby. Battery life is not as good as SP4, but SP4's battery life isn't that good either when compared to laptops. It's a shame the Miix 510 can't be charged by the USB Type C port because having a power bank can really lengthen your working time. </p>
<h3>Lenovo Active Pen (version 1)</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-12.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-13.jpg" width="490" /><br />
This is the essential tool for drawing on the screen.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-14.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-16.jpg" width="490" /><br />
The battery powered stylus uses a AAAA battery. If battery life is anything like SP4's Surface Pen, it should last for months.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-22.jpg" /><br />
This is an active stylus so you're going to get the hover mode, and perfect palm rejection when hover mode is in effect. An active stylus on a Windows tablet is almost always better compared to a capacitive stylus, such as the stylus used by the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-samsung-tabpro-s-2016-c-pen">Samsung TabPro S</a>. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/wacom-settings.gif" /><br />
This stylus uses Wacom technology and supports pressure sensitivity. There's option to change the pressure sensitivity in step but no pressure curve for you to adjust. You can also customize the two shortcut buttons on the side of the stylus.</p>
<p>I wasn't able to find documentation that mentions the actual levels of pressure sensitivity supported. When I'm using it, it's definitely more sensitive than any of the capacitive styluses that I've used (that's all of Adonit's styluses) and <b>on par or even better</b> with the Surface Pen and the one from ASA12. </p>
<p>The pen holder included can be plugged into the USB Type A port. </p>
<p>When the tips get worn out, you can replace them. I wasn't able to find any replaceable tips included in my box though. </p>
<h3>Drawing performance</h3>
<p>The Lenovo Miix 510 comes <b>pre-installed with Wintab driver</b>. Thumbs up for Lenovo with that move.</p>
<p>Wintab driver is required for Photoshop to produce pressure sensitive strokes. I let out a gasp of relief when I saw that the first line I drew with Photoshop was smooth and the pressure sensitivity works perfectly. The thin and thick transition is smooth and the strokes taper gradually as I lift off the stylus. With many other Windows tablets that I've tried, I often need to install Lazy Nezumi Pro plugin to get smooth lines for Photoshop but with the Miix 510 there's no need to do so. Nice.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/photoshop-strokes.jpg" /><br />
My happiness is short-lived because, as usual, Photoshop (I'm using CS6), still gives me problems on tablet platforms. Sometimes, I would randomly get thick strokes as if pressure sensitivity was lost. You can see in the picture above, everything was fine until I had to draw the cubes. There, I encountered the random-thick-line syndrome. I found <a href="https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1962444">someone asking about the same problem on the Adobe forums</a> but the solution posted did not help me.</p>
<p>Problems with strokes are usually caused by Wintab, so I <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49498">downloaded Wintab driver from Microsoft's website</a> and reinstalled it. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/after-resintall-wintab.jpg" /><br />
Reinstalling Wintab fixed the problem with the random thick lines. In the end, I guess you still have to manually install Wintab to get Photoshop working fine. </p>
<p>There's also slight <b>jitter</b> for diagonal lines that are drawn slowly. When drawing at moderate speed, the usual speed I work at, I don't get the jitter. Some graphic apps actually don't have jitter so it really depends on how good the app is designed. But if you really need that level of accuracy, the jitter could be the deal breaker.</p>
<p>Another thing with (only) Photoshop is, after using it for a while, it would seem to lag. The strokes would come out slower. I've changed the settings for the cache, history state and RAM allocation but the lag will still come back after a while, and after a while it will go back to normal. Weird.</p>
<p>Compared to the Apple Pencil where you can get strokes without pressure as long as there is contact with screen, with the Lenovo stylus you do have to apply slight activation force to draw. In actual use, it feels very similar to using Apple Pencil or Wacom Intuos stylus. That's very satisfactory to me and I would give it 4 to 4.5 out of 5 stars for the implementation (5 is reserved for Wacom Intuos styluses).</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/medibang-sketch.jpg" /><br />
I've tried the stylus with <a href="https://medibangpaint.com/">Medibang Paint Pro</a>, <a href="https://krita.org/">Krita</a>, <a href="https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/">Paint Tool Sai</a>, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-sg/store/p/bamboo-paper/9wzdncrfj1bh">Wacom Bamboo Paper</a>, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/sketchable/9wzdncrfjcjw">Sketchable</a>, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/artrage-touch/9wzdncrdmf3p">ArtRage Touch</a>, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/autodesk-sketchbook-for-windows-tablet/9wzdncrfj16p">Sketchbook</a> and Illustrator (CS6) and the stylus performs almost flawlessly. Palm rejection works most of the time as long as you're in hover mode. The only issue I had was with <a href="https://www.madewithmischief.com/">Mischief</a> because that app does not work well with Wintab drivers, hence I have to use <a href="https://goo.gl/hI1nWN">a hack to turn Wintab on and off</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/squid-handwriting.gif" /><br />
When it comes to taking notes, I use Squid and the experience is great. The stylus tip glides smoothly on the glass surface and I was almost able to match the speed with of a real ballpoint pen. This is a huge plus for those looking for a note taking tablet. It was able to capture my handwriting relatively well but not as accurate as the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing">Lenovo Yoga Book</a>. On a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is being able to capture my handwriting accurately, Miix 510 would score a 4, while the Yoga Book scores a 5. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/one-note-handwriting.gif" /><br />
I don't really use One Note but in case you do that's the handwriting sample above.</p>
<p>There's <b>minimal parallax error</b> for a 12.2 inch screen. The cursor is always beneath the tip. </p>
<p>The tip is smooth on the glass screen and glides freely, but sometimes it's a bit too slippery for my liking but it's good for handwriting. It takes a while to get used to it,</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-19.jpg" width="490" /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-miix-510-20.jpg" width="490" /><br />
Unfortunately, the design of the stylus is not perfect. Having a small tip is a good thing. However, the front of the tip holder is quite big and it blocks the line of vision to the lines drawn. This is alright for people who take notes, but for artists who want to see where their lines are coming out from, it can a problem. And you can't tilt the pen too much because that tip holder is big and will touch the screen.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Pre-installing the Wintab driver is a great move. Not everyone who buys this 2-in-1 computer will know that you need the Wintab driver in order to get pressure sensitivity working right. Going online to find the Wintab driver and install may be easy but it's still an additional inconvenience. Unfortunately, not all apps work perfectly. I had problems with random thick lines with Photoshop. And Mischief doesn't work with the Wintab driver. </p>
<p>Overall drawing experience is very satisfactory when the drawing apps work. After installing Wintab, my workflow was pretty smooth without hiccups. </p>
<p>The pricing for Miix 510 is very competitive. The i5 model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is selling at around USD $700 and that includes the keyboard cover and stylus. That's around the same price as the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-acer-switch-alpha-12-2016">Acer Switch Alpha 12</a>. Both 2-in-1s are USD $300 cheaper than the Surface Pro 4. Surface Pro 4 is a good product but Lenovo Miix 500 is equally as good, but cheaper. </p>
<p>Price cutting and competition in the 2-in-1 computer market is brutal, but it really benefits consumers. So either Lenovo is making little profit on the Miix 510 or Microsoft is making a huge profit off it (probably so).</p>
<p>So is the Lenovo Miix 510 a capable digital sketchpad. Yes, but it has some glitches with Photoshop and Mischief as mentioned earlier. Thankfully, there are workarounds so it's not a deal breaker. </p>
<p>Overall, my rating would be 4 out of 5 stars. The downsides are the battery life, weight when compared to other 2-in-1s and the design of the tip holder.</p>
<p>If you're currently looking for a digital sketchpad that runs Windows, you should check out the Miix 510, SP4 and ASA12. Stay away from the Samsung TabPro S and Huawei Matebook.</p>
<p>One last thing, do not confuse the Miix 510 with the 1.75kg Yoga 510 (14-inch). The Miix 510 comes with the active stylus that's optimal for drawing. </p>
<p><b>If you find this review helpful, share it with your artist friends.</b></p>
<div style="float:right; margin: 0 1em 1em 0;">
<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=artprdus-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;asins=B01M58ZL8F&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe></div>
<p><b>Pros</b><br />
+ Sturdy build quality<br />
+ Has USB 3 Type C and Type A ports<br />
+ Nice weight for its size but too heavy for handheld drawing<br />
+ Built in stand that you can adjust to any position<br />
+ Pressure sensitivity of the stylus is on par or better than Surface Pen.<br />
+ Stylus feels good to draw on the screen<br />
+ 1920 by 1200 resolution means user interface of all apps are at comfortable sizes<br />
+ Screen has good viewing angles and colours<br />
+ Good stereo speakers<br />
+ Able to install desktop and tablet apps<br />
+ Wintab driver is pre-installed<br />
+ Snappy performance generally<br />
+ The stylus included uses Wacom technology<br />
+ The stylus pressure sensitivity and buttons can be customised<br />
+ Keyboard cover is included<br />
+ Keyboard is relatively good to type on<br />
+ Keyboard has backlight</p>
<p><b>Cons</b><br />
- Battery life could be better<br />
- No display port included<br />
- No microSD slot included<br />
- The stylus' tip holder is big and blocks off the line of vision to lines drawn<br />
- Goes to sleep when keyboard covers the screen, but doesn't wake automatically when screen is uncovered<br />
- Photoshop has random thick line problem with default Wintab driver<br />
- Photoshop lags after a while and goes back to normal<br />
- USB Type C port cannot be used for charging<br />
- Keyboard cover does not protect the back of the tablet<br />
- 880g tablet weight is heavier than SP4</p>
<h3>Availability</h3>
<p>Check out more reviews of the <b>Lenovo Miix 510</b> through the direct Amazon links below:<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo0c-20">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo-21">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo01-21">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo08-21">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo03-21">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.es/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parblo02-21">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=parkablogs-22">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
<p>If you make any purchase through the links, I get a little commission at no extra cost to you. </p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
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</section>
Wed, 25 Jan 2017 11:02:25 +0000Teoh Yi Chie12883 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-lenovo-miix-510-with-active-pen#commentsArtist Review: Lenovo Yoga Book (Android) for Drawinghttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing"><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-08.jpg" /></a></p>
<!--break--><p>I've just borrowed a Lenovo Yoga Book from my friend for this review. </p>
<p>Just like <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/tags/art-electronics">my other tech reviews</a>, this review will focus on the drawing capability of the Lenovo Yoga Book. </p>
<p>Here are some key features and important things to note.</p>
<ul><li>This is a so called 2-in-1 tablet. You can use it as a laptop or tablet</li>
<li>You can draw on the keyboard area with a pressure-sensitive stylus</li>
<li>The stylus allows you to use ballpoint ink on paper, or the plastic tip for drawing</li>
<li>To use the stylus on the screen, you have to turn on AnyPen mode in settings</li>
</ul><p>Basically, just think of the Yoga Book like fusing a Wacom Intuos to a tablet.</p>
<h3>Video review</h3>
<p>Here's the 20 minute review that talks about the same things on this page.</p>
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0EiDLi1saug?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><h3>Specifications</h3>
<p>There are two versions, <b>Android and Windows</b>. </p>
<p>Android is the better choice in my opinion because it's designed for tablets, for touch screens, for processor efficiency. The Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8550 processor included in the Yoga Book isn't that powerful, so if you run apps like Photoshop, it's going to lag (according to another friend). I would recommend Windows only if you have specific apps, desktop apps, you need to use. </p>
<p>Android version currently retails at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Yoga-Book-Android-Tablet/dp/B01MQSLK2Z?tag=artprdus-20">USD $500</a>. Windows version is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Yoga-Book-Windows-Tablet/dp/B01M6W1LET?tag=artprdus-20">$50 more</a>.</p>
<p>Here are the main specifications:</p>
<p>Processor: Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8550 Processor<br />
OS: Android 6 or Windows 10<br />
Storage: 64GB with microSD card slot for up to 128GB.<br />
Memory: 4GB<br />
Battery life: 8500 mAh, around 7-9 hours depending on usage<br />
Weight: 690g<br />
Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.72 x 0.38 inches (25.6 x 17 x 0.96 cm)<br />
Screen: 10.1 inch 1080P resolution up to 90% sRGB<br />
Brightness: 400 nits<br />
Colors: Black, gray, gold<br />
Wifi: Yes<br />
Ports: micro-USB, micro-HDMI, 3.5mm headphone<br />
Speakers: Side facing</p>
<h3>What's in the box</h3>
<ul><li>Yoga Book</li>
<li>Pen</li>
<li>3 ballpoint refill</li>
<li>Notebook holder and notebook</li>
<li>microSD card slot ejection pin</li>
<li>Charger and cable</li>
<li>Manual</li>
</ul><h3>Design and build quality</h3>
<p>The Yoga Book is a lightweight (<b>690g</b>) and compact 2-in-1 tablet. The physical size is slightly larger than my A5 sketchbook, and it's thinner (<b>0.96cm</b>)</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-14.jpg" /><br />
This is the front. The Yoga Book is available in grey and gold. The one I have is gold. I suppose grey will look nicer. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-15.jpg" /><br />
And this is the back. As there are no rubber feet on the back to raise the laptop, this means it's likely to scratch the metalic surface. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-16.jpg" /><br />
The unit that I have already have several hairline scratches. You can buy a sleeve for it but I don't think a case will work well because of the hinge system. </p>
<p>The build quality is good. However, when I pick it up using the keyboard, I can hear some flexing sounds. Not a big issue. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-09.jpg" /><br />
One of the design highlights is the so called Halo Keyboard. There are no physical keys. The typing surface will light up to show the buttons. Typing on it feels like typing on a touch-screen. One issue that I have is the learning curve. When typing with normal keyboards, I look at the screen and not at the keys. When typing using the Halo Keyboard, I find myself looking at the keys and not the screen, as such, I can sometimes lose track of what I'm typing on the screen. It takes time to get use to it.</p>
<p>There's supposed to be haptic feedback when using the Halo Keyboard. Press a button and the keyboard vibrates. I turned that off and it seems pointless to me. </p>
<p>There's no good reason for the inclusion of a keyboard if it's not optimal for typing. The Halo Keyboard is not the best keyboard for typing. However, we have this keyboard because it also doubles as a drawing surface. So the drawing surface is the selling point. If not, you could have gotten yourself the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+miix+510&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Lenovo Miix 510</a>, Surface Pro 4 or basically any tablet with detachable keyboard. But those tablets have a downside (more on that later). </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-19.jpg" /><br />
The trackpad is too small to be useful. Anything, there's a touch-screen so it's just much faster to just use your finger and tap.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-07.jpg" /><br />
The other highlight is the hinge system that allows the keyboard to flip all the way to the back of the screen, 360 degrees. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-11.jpg" /><br />
This allows you to use it like a real tablet. Since there are no physical keys, it feels nicer to hold the back.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-12.jpg" /><br />
You can fold the Yoga Book into any angle. This is great if you want to prop it up on the table to watch video. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-13.jpg" /><br />
At some parts of the hinge, there are loose parts and this causes certain parts to move around and create unwanted sound. </p>
<p>The <b>10.1-inch</b> screen supports <b>1920 x 1200</b> resolution. It's an <b>IPS</b> panel so viewing angles are decent. I've read that it can support up to <b>90% sRGB</b>. Different websites report different colour gamut support. Lenovo's website said it has 70% colour gamut. Adobe RGB? Anyway, colour reproduction is more than satisfactory for me for a laptop in this price region. The screen is bright and the colours are vibrant.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-06.jpg" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-10.jpg" /><br />
There aren't many ports on the Yoga Book. On the left side are the micro-USB port for charging and data transfer, and then there's the micro-HDMI port (no cable provided). On the other side is the 3.5mm audio jack.</p>
<p>Battery life is around 7 to 9 hours depending on usage. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-03.jpg" /><br />
That's the pen provided. It <b>supports pressure sensitivity</b> although I'm not sure exactly sure how many levels. <b>No battery is required</b>. This is a full size pen and it feels good when held in hand. It's balanced and not too heavy.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-01.jpg" /><br />
The pen has the option of using ballpoint or plastic tip.</p>
<p>For the ballpoint refill, you have to get the MiniStar refill. I've tried the Zebra brand refill that's similar in dimensions and it does not work. This is the same issue with the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-wacom-bamboo-slate-drawing-or-note-taking">Wacom Bamboo Slate</a> -- it's like the Yoga Book without the screen. </p>
<p>The pen is for use on the keyboard area. You cannot draw on the screen with the pen. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-04.jpg" /><br />
The cap can be used to change the tips. Just put the tip into the hole on the cap, tilt it, and pull out the tip. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-05.jpg" /><br />
Putting the tip back is as easy as slotting it back it.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-02.jpg" /><br />
The plastic tip is small. When drawing, it feels like drawing with a normal pen. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-18.jpg" /><br />
Before drawing, you have to switch the tablet to drawing mode. Just press and hold the pen icon at the top right until it lights up and you're in tablet mode. To go back to keyboard mode, press and hold the pen icon again. Easy.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-20.jpg" /><br />
This is the notebook holder, aka Yoga Book pad. </p>
<p>The 75-page notebook means 11.6 by 6.4 inches. A5 is 5.8 x 8.3 inches. So the notebook is much wider. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-21.jpg" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-22.jpg" /><br />
The notebook has two holes on the side that you can fit into the two magnets from the pad. That will keep the notebook in place when you write on it. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-23.jpg" /><br />
Since the notebook is not standard size, it will be difficult to use other notebooks, e.g. the ubiquitous A5 notebook. Lenovo sells the notebook at USD $15 which is bloody expensive! </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-26.jpg" /><br />
If you really want to use your own notebook or paper, you have to find a way to clamp it down, probably with some clips. Make sure the clip doesn't scratch the back.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-27.jpg" /><br />
To get your drawing captured accurately, you have to draw within the active area. The active area is marked by four Ls at each corner. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-bamboo-drawing.jpg" /><br />
When you're in the drawing mode, everything you write on the paper will be recorded and shown on screen instantly. You can use any app while writing or drawing. Accuracy is very good.</p>
<p>I've tested Adobe Photoshop Sketch, Wacom Bamboo Paper, Medibang Paint Pro. Response time is good. Lag is very minimal to none. How much lag there is depends on the app. For example, Adobe Photoshop Sketch has slight lag whereas Wacom Bamboo Paper has no lag at all. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-straight-line.jpg" /><br />
There's no jitter or wavy line effect when drawing diagonal lines slowly. That line above was drawn slowly with a ruler.</p>
<p>Pressure sensitivity works for both the ballpoint and plastic tip.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/stroke-bamboo-yoga-book.jpg" /><br />
The type of variation you can achieve for the stroke thickness will depend on the app. Apps like Wacom Bamboo Paper limits thickness. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/medibang-strokes-yoga-book.jpg" /><br />
Apps like Medibang Paint allows maximum variation depending on your pressure, so it can achieve really thin and thick strokes. Stroke variation and pressure sensitivity support all comes down to app support. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/lenovo-yoga-book-17.jpg" /><br />
When you tilt the Yoga Book in portrait orientation, it switches from keyboard mode to drawing mode. Problem is the gyroscope isn't perfect, so sometimes it may switch modes when you lay the Yoga Book flat on the table. It's better to switch to drawing mode manually by pressing and holding the pen icon on the keyboard.</p>
<p><b>By default, you won't be able to use the stylus to draw on the screen.</b> To draw on the screen, you have to turn on <b>AnyPen</b> mode in settings first. There won't be any pressure sensitivity when you draw on the screen though. The big problem when using the stylus on the screen is there can be broken lines because the screen wasn't able to detect the stylus all the time. There's also the jitter wavy line effect when diagonal lines are drawn slowly. Basically, it's not a satisfactory experience working in AnyPen mode. Drawing and writing on the keyboard area is so much better. </p>
<h3>Who is this for?</h3>
<p>When it comes to capturing strokes, the Yoga Book does a very good job of doing so.</p>
<p>Drawing on the Yoga Book feels like drawing with the screen-less Wacom Intuos. As there are so many tablets available in the market, why not get one so that you can draw on the screen? The main reason is many tablets suffer from the problem have having jittery wavy lines when diagonal lines are drawn slowly. The other reason is if the stylus is not specially made for the tablet, there can be parallax. Third reason is price.</p>
<p>There aren't many tablets with pressure sensitive stylus that can produce perfectly accurate strokes. The only ones I know of are the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/ipad-pro-pencil-artist-review-rob-sketcherman">Apple iPad Pro and Pencil</a> and the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=wacom+mobile+studio+pro&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Wacom MobileStudio Pro</a>. Both are expensive options. I've no experience with S Pen from Samsung tablets so I don't know how they perform (if you know let me know). The one I'm most curious about is the performance of the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=samsung+tab+10.1+with+s+pen&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Samsung Tab A 10.1 (2016) with S Pen</a> (I'm going to review that soon).</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/squid-yoga-book.jpg" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/inkcredible-yoga-book.jpg" /><br />
The other selling point is the ability to use ballpoint on paper. This is for people who prefer the tactile feeling of writing or drawing. However, the spare notebooks sold by Lenovo is just too expensive at USD $15. I find the matte surface keyboard area to provide a nice texture for writing or drawing with the plastic stylus tip. I have absolutely no problem using that instead of the notebook for taking notes. And the Yoga Book is fantastic at taking notes. Just like how it can accurately capture my drawing. It can accurately capture my handwriting as well.</p>
<div style="float:right; margin: 1em;">
<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=parblo-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;asins=B01N1OUWBX&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe></div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The price point of the Yoga Book is quite good. USD $500 for the Android version is more expensive than some other tablets, such as the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=microsoft+surface+3&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Microsoft Surface 3</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=samsung+tab+10.1+with+s+pen&amp;tag=artprdus-20">Samsung Tab A 10.1 (2016) with S Pen</a>. However with the Yoga Book, you can be sure that the strokes will come out exactly the way you want them to be. And that to me is the selling point of this tablet.</p>
<p>Overall, the Lenovo Yoga Book gets a 4 out of 5 stars for me. For drawing or note-taking purposes, 5 out of 5 stars since it does what it's marketed to do perfectly.</p>
<p>As usual, if you find this review helpful, share it with your artist friends. </p>
<h3>Availability</h3>
<p>You can find the Lenovo Yoga Book and more reviews on Amazon. Links below.<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo-20">Amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo0c-20">Amazon.ca</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo-21">Amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo01-21">Amazon.de</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo08-21">Amazon.fr</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo03-21">Amazon.it</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.es/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parblo02-21">Amazon.es</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=lenovo+yoga+book&amp;tag=parkablogs-22">Amazon.co.jp</a></p>
<p>If you make any purchase through the links, I get a little commission at no extra cost to you. </p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
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<a href="/tags/art-electronics">art electronics</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/lenovo-yoga">lenovo yoga</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/drawing-tablet-reviews">drawing tablet reviews</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/tablet">tablet</a> </li>
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<a href="/tags/computer">computer</a> </li>
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</section>
Wed, 18 Jan 2017 19:13:00 +0000Teoh Yi Chie12879 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing#commentsArtist Hands-On Impression of Lenovo Miix 510 and Yoga Bookhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-hands-impression-of-lenovo-miix-510-and-yoga-book
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>Update: Detailed reviews for the <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-lenovo-miix-510-with-active-pen">Lenovo Miix 510</a> and <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-lenovo-yoga-book-drawing">Lenovo Yoga Book</a> are now available</b></p>
<p>I was surprised when Lenovo Singapore invited me to their product launch. That was quite unexpected. But it's cool because I wanted to check out the new Lenovo <b>Miix 510</b> and the <b>Yoga Book</b>. </p>
<p>And yesterday while I was at the event, I met my friends <a href="https://jamesleong.net/">James Leong</a> and <a href="https://www.mindflyer.com/">Michael Ng</a>. I found out that they have been testing the Yoga Book for a few weeks already. That is fantastic because they were able to give me lots of useful information regarding the Yoga Book.</p>
<p>So what's the difference between the Miix 510, Miix 700 and the Yoga Book?</p>
<p>The Miix 700 is a tablet that features an Intel m7 processor. The Miix 510 is a tablet that features up to 6th gen Intel i7 processor. The Yoga Book is a laptop with touch keyboard with no physical keys. So those are the main differences. You can think of the Miix 510 as a <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/picture/artist-review-surface-pro-4-drawing-tablet">Surface Pro 4</a> competitor. </p>
<p>Here are the key specs for the Miix 510</p>
<ul><li>Processor: Up to 6th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor</li>
<li>Operating System: Up to Windows 10 Home</li>
<li>Graphics: Up to Intel® HD 520</li>
<li>Memory: 8GB max</li>
<li>Storage: 256GB max</li>
<li>Display: 12.2 inch touch screen</li>
<li>Resolution: 1920x1200</li>
<li>Supports an optional stylus with Wacom technology</li>
<li>Comes with a detachable keyboard</li>
<li>Dimensions (W x D x H): (mm) : 300 x 205 x 9.9 (tablet ) / 300 x 205 x 15.9 (with keyboard)</li>
<li>Weight: 900 g, or 1.25kg with keyboard</li>
<li>Battery life: 8hrs</li>
<li>Ports: USB Type A + Type C, mini HDMI</li>
</ul><p>And the key specs for the Yoga Book laptop:</p>
<ul><li>Processor: Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8550 Processor(2M Cache, Quad-Core, Up to 2.4 GHz)</li>
<li>Operating System: Android or Windows 10 Home</li>
<li>Memory: 4GB max</li>
<li>Storage: 64GB max</li>
<li>Card Slot : microSD up to 128GB</li>
<li>Dimensions: (mm) : 256.6 x 9.6 x 170.8</li>
<li>Weight: 690 g</li>
<li>Display: 10.1 inch touch screen</li>
<li>Resolution: 1920 x 1200</li>
<li>Battery life: 13hrs</li>
<li>Ports: None except the microSD slot</li>
</ul><h3>Miix 510 quick artist impression</h3>
<p>The unit on display did not have any respectable drawing applications but thankfully my friend came prepared. He managed to install the <a href="https://www.getleonardo.com/">Leonardo drawing app</a> onto the Miix 510 and we played around with it a little. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-standard.png" width="500" /><br />
The form factor of the Miix 510 feels quite solid. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-510-keyboard.jpg" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/miix-510-stand.gif" /><br />
Just like the Surface Pro 4, it comes with a kickstand behind and a detachable keyboard is included.</p>
<p><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Hw7gIBCbL.jpg" /><br />
The Miix 510 is compatible with the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Active-Capacitive-Pen-GX80K32882/dp/B01AZC3HF2?tag=artprdus-20">Lenovo Active Pen</a> which uses Wacom technology so it does support pressure sensitivity. However, the stylus is sold separately. The stylus comes with a pen holder that uses one USB port space, leaving only the remaining USB Type C port.</p>
<p>Drawing with the stylus is very responsive. I felt no lag. There's no parallax error because the screen is quite thin. Pressure sensitivity works fine. Unfortunately, the stylus suffers from slight jitter when slow diagonal lines are drawn. </p>
<h3>Yoga Book quick artist impression</h3>
<p>Yoga Book is an interesting product. </p>
<p>This is a 10.1 inch laptop with a touch keyboard that has no physical keys. The first thing that caught my attention was the size. This is really small, thin and light. It's a 690g laptop. On a hot day, you can probably pick it up to fan yourself with it. The only port included is the SD card slot. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-android.jpg" width="500" /><br />
Yoga Book comes with either Windows 10 Home or Android. If I were to get one, I would get one with Windows because there are more drawing apps on the Windows platform. My friend James Leong was using this with the Leonardo drawing app as well and there's no lag. However, he said that with other applications, he could felt some lag. The Intel Atom x5-Z8550 processor may not be powerful enough to run more intensive drawing applications. </p>
<p>The cool thing about this laptop is the touch keyboard has no physical keys. It's just a flat surface. With the included stylus you can draw on the keyboard surface just like you would on typical graphics tablets, e.g. Wacom tablets. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-keyboard.jpg" width="500" /><br />
When you need to type, you can light up the keyboard with the press of a button. And when you want to draw, press the same button to switch to drawing mode. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-hinge.jpg" width="500" /><br />
Design of the hinge actually allows you to flip the keyboard all the way to the back. 360 degrees. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-notetaking.jpg" width="500" /><br />
Another feature of the keyboard surface is it also allows you to put paper over it, and let you draw on the paper while it records what you're drawing. In this mode, it works like the Wacom <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-review-wacom-bamboo-slate-drawing-or-note-taking">Bamboo Slate</a> and <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/content/review-wacom-bamboo-spark-note-taking-drawing">Bamboo Spark</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-clipboard.jpg" /><br />
To prevent the paper from moving when you're drawing or writing on it, there's a clipboard to hold the paper down. It's magnetised and it will stick to the keyboard surface too. If the paper moves while you're drawing, there's going to be misalignment issues with the recording. </p>
<p>I'm not sure of the actual size of the paper so I can't confirm whether you can buy standard A5 notepads to use with the Yoga Book. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-pen2.jpg" width="500" /><br /><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-pen.jpg" width="500" /><br />
The included stylus uses two types of nib, the stylus nib and the ballpoint nib. To use it like a stylus, you need to use the stylus nib which is really just like any other hard tip nib. The tip is quite small though so it's good for drawing without blocking the screen. </p>
<p><img src="https://www.parkablogs.com/sites/default/files/yoga-book-ink.png" width="500" /><br />
The ballpoint nib is actually from those 7mm ballpoint refills. They use the Ministar refill here. I can't confirm if you can use other brands besides Ministar. </p>
<p>The pen supports up to <b>2048 levels of pressure sensitivity</b>. I forgot to test for jitter when using the stylus tip though. Ballpoint tip has no problems at all and the laptop was able to capture all the strokes perfectly.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>I wasn't able to test the Miix 510 and Yoga Book more extensively with the two hours I had. If I can get my hands on review units, I'll put out more detailed reviews. Meanwhile, you can <a href="https://www.parkablogs.com/tags/drawing-tablet-reviews">check out my other drawing tablet reviews</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><section class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above view-mode-rss clearfix">
<h2 class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</h2>
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<a href="/tags/drawing-tablet-reviews">drawing tablet reviews</a> </li>
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Fri, 18 Nov 2016 04:08:42 +0000Teoh Yi Chie12808 at https://www.parkablogs.comhttps://www.parkablogs.com/content/artist-hands-impression-of-lenovo-miix-510-and-yoga-book#comments